Former Arsenal midfielder Craig Eastmond says he is "on tenterhooks" to find out whether a suspension -- and bad weather -- could force him to miss a reunion with the Gunners when they visit Sutton United in the FA Cup.
Eastmond, who came up through the Arsenal academy and made 10 first-team appearances before being released in 2013, has been one of the key players in National League side Sutton's run to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
However, he was sent off against Boreham Wood in the FA Trophy on Saturday, and is now waiting to see whether a three-game ban will rule him out of a reunion with his former club.
"I'm on tenterhooks," Eastmond is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror. "It's an unbelievable situation. I desperately want to play against Arsenal -- my old club -- but now I just have to wait and hope."
While fifth-tier Sutton have three league games to play before facing Arsenal, bad weather often forces postponements in the lower divisions.
Eastmond will, therefore, be continually checking for updates on the weather and pitch conditions to see whether he will be eligible for the Feb. 20 game against Arsenal.
"I'm a bit nervous right now," he said. "I'm keeping a real close eye on the weather forecasts -- the worry is that it says it is going to get colder. We have three games -- Boreham Wood, Solihull [Moors] and Guiseley. I am keeping an eye on all their websites as well to check on their pitches."
Eastmond played alongside Jack Wilshere and Francis Coquelin to help Arsenal win the 2009 FA Youth Cup and made his first-team debut in the League Cup the following season. He finished the 2009-10 campaign with seven first-team appearances, including four in the Premier League.
However, he was never a regular part of Arsene Wenger's plans in the following seasons and made just three more appearances before he was released in 2013.